Brake spring apparatus

ABSTRACT

This invention pertains to a compression spring supported plate assembly which carries a friction lining for coaction with an arrestment surface and which is supported a predetermined distance away from a movable base structure. The precompression of the springs can be altered to change the brake force, acceleration, independently and without affecting the distance of the brake lining from the base structure. Correspondingly the distance of the brake lining from the base structure to compensate for brake wear can be altered without affecting the precompression of the springs.

United States Patent 1 Germer [54] BRAKE SPRING APPARATUS Field Filed:

Inventor: John A. Gerlner, c/o The Budd Company, 2450 Hunting ParkAvenue, Philadelphia, Pa. 19132 Dec. 3, 1970 US. Cl. ..188/62, 188/196 M7 Int. Cl. ..B6'lk 7/02 of Search ..l8B/62, 166, 196 M References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS n1 3,708,039 [451 Jan. 2, 1973 PrimaryExaminer-Duane A. Reger Attorney-Thomas l. Davenport, Edward M. Farrell,John D. Sowell, Alford L. Trueax and William R. Nolte [57] ABSTRACT Thisinvention pertains to a compression spring supported plate assemblywhich carries a friction lining V for coaction with an arrestmentsurface and which is supported a predetermined distance away from amovable base structure. The precompression of the springs can be alteredto change the brake force, acceleration, independently and withoutaffecting the distance of the brake lining from the base structure.Correspondingly the distance of the brake lining from the base structureto compensate for brake wear can be altered without affecting theprecompression of the springs.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJM 2 ma SHEET 1 0F 2 INVENTOR.

JOHN A.GERMER AGENT mOKDOM mm om PATENTEU JAN 2 W SHEET 2 OF 2 F l[ 0 mmm 1 1 \WC /es- NJ INVEN'TOR.

JOHN A GERMER AGENT BRAKE SPRING APPARATUS This invention relates tobrake spring apparatus and more particularly to brake mechanism forperforming independent adjustments for brake lining wear, and adjustmentfor the loading of the lining.

Heretofore in certain prior art mechanisms the loading of brake liningsagainst a reactant arrestment surface has been accomplished by the useof springs which have beenprecompressed a desired amount to obtain themagnitude of normal loading required. This has been done by mounting aretainer at opposite ends of the springs and connecting them with abolt. In order to vary the precompression of the springs to alter theloading of the brake lining against the reactant surface the bolt iseither tightened or loosened to achievethe,

desired result. As a result of such adjustment the overall distancebetween the friction surface of the brake lining and the base structurewhich carries the precompression assembly is changed. As a consequence,a further adjustment of the entire precompression spring assembly isrequired to maintain the overall height of the lining relative to thebase structure. This sequential double adjustment has proved to bedisadvantageous.

Accordingly it is the principal object of this invention to provide animproved brake apparatus which avoids one or more of the disadvantagesof prior art devices.

It is another important object of this invention to provide an improvedbrake apparatus having a brake lining affixed to as assembly ofprecompression springs supported from a base assembly in which theprecompression of the springs and the distance of the lining fromthe'base structure can be independently adjusted.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a plate assemblyhaving an outer and inner plate with bias means therebetween supportedadjacent to a movable base structure. Friction means secured to theouter plate means and coactable with a stationary reactive surface arepositionable relative to said base structure and reactive surface byfirst adjusting means. Second adjusting means coactable with said innerplate means are provided to alter the extent of bias of said bias meanswithout affecting the position of said friction means relative to saidbase structure.

For a better understanding of the invention together with other andfurther objects thereof reference is had to the following descriptiontaken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 shows a tracked device adapted to cooperate with an arrestmentstructure and employing the brake spring apparatus of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the lines 2'-2 of FIG. 1 of the brakespring apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3--3 of FIG. 2. V

This invention has utility in power operated launching systems foraircraft on aircraft carriers of the type illustrated on US. Pat. No.3,504,872 to HM. Russell-French titled "Sealing Apparatus for AircraftCatapults, Apr. 7, 1970 and assigned to the same assignee as the presentinvention.

With reference now to FIG. 1 of the drawing there is shown a basestructure employing the brake spring apparatus 11 of the presentinvention. The base structure 10 includes a lower H configurationmounted for movement along a track 13 in the present instance a slot indeck 12 by means of a suitable source of power 14. The power P isdisengaged or removed from the base structure prior to entering thearrestment structure 15. The arrestment structure 15 consists of a pairof upright plate members 16, 17 disposed in spaced relationship onopposite sides of track. The lateral spacing of the plates is such astocoact with the brake spring apparatus 11 of the present inventionaffixed to side surface 20 of the base structure 11 as the latter movesbetween the upright plates 16, 17. The plates l6, 17 are flaredoutwardly at their end portions 21, 23 respectively and are closertogether in their parallel remaining portions 24, 25 respectively. Thebase structure enters the flared end portions of the plates and thebrake apparatus 19 affixed thereto engages the inner reactant facesurfaces 28, 29 of plates 16, 17 respectively to gradually deacceleratethe base structure 11 as the same travels between the two upright platesl6, 17.

With reference now to FIG. 2 the brake apparatus 11 of the presentinvention comprises a plurality of spring assemblies 31 having spacedapart compression spring retainer plates 32 outer, 33 inner, withcompression coil springs 36 enclosed therebetween; A plurality of brakelining pads 37 are attached to longitudinally extending plate 38 bymeans of screws 39. Plate 38 is common to, and is secured to the outersurface 41 of outer retainer plate 32 of each of the spring assemblies31.

In order to control or adjust the distance B of the brake lining 37 fromsurface 20 of the base member 11 first adjusting means 42 are provided.For this purpose a sleeve member 43 is suitably affixed to the innersurface 44 of outer retainer plate 32. A threaded rod 45 includes .anouter end portion 46 which is received within the sleeve member 43. Anut 47 is secured to the outer end 46 of the rod and is prevented fromrotating relative to the sleeve. In the present instance the nut 47 is asquare nut and the sleeve 43 includes interior surfaces 48 which matchesthe faces of the nut so that the nut is enabled to slide along the axisof the sleeve but cannot rotate about said axis. A nut stop 49 isaffixed to the bottom of the sleeve 43 and is provided to coact with nut47 when outer plate 32 is urged outwardly by means of coil springs 36.The inner portion 51 of threaded rod 45 has affixed thereto a bearingplate 53 which is attached by means of screws 54 to surface 20 of basestructure 11.

The previously mentioned retainer plate 33 includes a central aperture57 which enables clearance between it and threaded rod 45. The springretainer plates 32, 33 confine the coil springs 36 therebetween.Stabilizer elements 60 projecting outwardly from face 61 of plateprevent the coil springs 36 from collapsing or bowing duringcompression.

In order to control the extent of precompression of the coil springs 36second adjustment means 63 are provided. For this purpose a nut 65cooperating with threaded rod 45 and the lower surface 67 t of retainerplate 33 controls the extent of inward movement of inner spring retainerplate 33. By rotating nut 65 in one direction and holding the springretainer assembly plates 32, 33 from rotating, the compression ofcoilsprings 36 can be increased, while turning the nut in an oppositedirection the precompression of the springs 36 can be reduced. The nut47 is prevented from rotating by sleeve member 43. In this manner thedistance A between the spring retainer plates is altered withoutaffecting distance B corresponding to the distance of the brake liningpad 37 from surface 20 of the base structure.

With normal usage the thickness of brake lining pad 37 is reduced. As aresult it becomes necessary to move the brake lining pad outwardly tocompensate for such wear. Under these circumstances it is not desirableto alter the precompression setting of the coil springs 36. Accordinglywhen it is desired to alter the distance B without affecting distance Acorresponding to the precompression setting of the springs, the operatorrotates threaded rod 45 while preventing rotation of nut 65 and outerplate 32 which through sleeve 43 retains nut 47 in a captive state. Theabove operation requires that plate 53 to which threaded rod 45 isaffixed be first disassembled from surface 20 of base 11 to enablerotation of rod 45. It is apparent therefore that by so doing the above,the distance A is not altered.

While there has been described what at present is considered to be thepreferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be madetherein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Brake apparatus cooperable with a reactive surface of an arrestmentstructure comprising, in combination, plate assembly means, a basestructure means supporting said plate assembly means adjacent said basestructure, said plate assembly means having first plate means and secondplate means with bias means therebetween, friction means secured to saidfirst plate means and coactable with said reactive surface, sleeve meansconnected to said first plate means and encircling said support means,first adjusting means including nut means captive within sleeve means,said sleeve means carrying said plate means with said friction liningbeing axially slidable relative to said nut means along said supportmeans in one direction, said sleeve means having retainer meansengagable with said nut means to limit movement of said first platemeans in an opposite direction, and second adjusting means coactablewith said second plate means for adjusting the magnitude of bias meansindependently of said first adjusting means.

2. Brake apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support meansincludes threaded rod means, means mounting said rod means normal tosaid base structure, said captive nut means being adjustably cooperablewith said threaded rod means, said second adjusting means including nutmeans cooperable with said rod means whereby upon relative rotation ofsaid rod means with respect to said nut means and said captive nutmeans, the distance of said plate assembly means carrying said frictionmeans from said base structure is altered without affecting themagnitude of bias of said bias means.

* III

1. Brake apparatus cooperable with a reactive surface of an arrestmentstructure comprising, in combination, plate assembly means, a basestructure means supporting said plate assembly means adjacent said basestructure, said plate assembly means having first plate means and secondplate means with bias means therebetween, friction means secured to saidfirst plate means and coactable with said reactive surface, sleeve meansconnected to said first plate means and encircling said support means,first adjusting means including nut means captive within sleeve means,said sleeve means carrying said plate means with said friction liningbeing axially slidable relative to said nut means along said supportmeans in one direction, said sleeve means having retainer meansengagable with said nut means to limit movement of said first platemeans in an opposite direction, and second adjusting means coactablewith said second plate means for adjusting the magnitude of bias meansindependently of said first adjusting means.
 2. Brake apparatus as setforth in claim 1 wherein said support means includes threaded rod means,means mounting said rod means normal to said base structure, saidcaptive nut means being adjustably cooperable with said threaded rodmeans, said second adjusting means including nut means cooperable withsaid rod means whereby upon relative rotation of said rod means withrespect to said nut means and said captive nut means, the distance ofsaid plate assembly means carrying said friction means from said basestructure is altered without affecting the magnitude of bias of saidbias means.